THE STRANGE SIGNS OF THE ROMANS

After waiting to be sure Romulus would not return, Romans elected Numa Pompilius, a wise and gentle Sabine. He built temples including a round one for Vesta and a square gateway-temple for Janus, god of beginnings (hence "January"). Janus's doors stayed open in war, closed in peace. People thought the nymph Egeria advised Numa. He made Romans keep peace and taught them to farm. Superstitious Romans believed in signs—birds, weather, animal behavior. Numa created three types of priests: Pontiffs declared lucky and unlucky days; Augurs interpreted signs like bird flights; Haruspices read the future in sacrificed animals' entrails. This was all nonsense, but early Romans believed it. The author notes superstition is only excusable when people have no chance to learn.